A moment to share...
Painful and hard have been the last few weeks and days for Catholics and millions around the world no matter their religious beliefs. As Pope John Paul II faced God and destiny, fond memories come to many. Your Holiness, without a doubt, touched our mundane daily lives and changed many in more ways than one. It only took seeing him once, no matter how close or how far you were; one just couldn't walk away with nothing less than extraordinary feelings. On a Summer day outside Denver... John Paul II at a Rocky Mountain road, he too touched my life.
One day in Denver
It was 1993, as Pro-Life and Pro-Choice protesters faced police, and bursts or riots around the city emerged, some burned tires, others held signs... this, while Pope John Paul II was taking time to reflect, away from the city at a Rocky Mt. park retreat.
It was a beautiful Summer morning, blue skies all around. At a small road along the Rocky Mt. National park, there were only a handful of reporters and cameras. Maybe a pool photographer had been allowed to take pictures of the Pope as he walked the area. The rest of us were parked on the side of the highway. Barriers blocked the way... probably a mile or so from where the Pope was said to be resting, praying. Certainly, I don't remember being able to see a thing.
As the hours went by, I wonder if I really needed to be there. After all, there was no news there to cover. Frankly, I wished I was in downtown Denver where the riots were taking place. I saw reports in one of our satellite trucks... and that reporter's itch to run just wanted me to go get to that story... "What am I doing here? I thought... there's nothing happening...it is not like we can even see the Pope... "
Meanwhile, reports from pool photographers were coming out... pictures of the Pope walking during his retreat, white robe, white tennis shoes and a cane. But we were too far to see a thing.
Oh...little did I know
As we continued to wait... I kept looking beyond the barriers... just an empty road... beautiful pine trees to each side, a comfortable Spring- like weather... nothing more to see, nothing to report.
Then it happened... a white figure, I could see far away... it kept walking our way... three people and a white figure... not sure when or how... but it just hit me. So, I mumbled... "it's the Pope..." "it's the Pope" I raised my voice as I scrambled for my photographer and a microphone. "It's the Pope!!" someone else may have by now screamed. Sure it was. There he was... John Paul II... walking... toward us.
A white robe and tennis shoes... "Papa... ¿Español?
So there we were... there I was, probably one of only about 10 maybe 15 journalists, photographers... and the Pope was talking and shaking our hands.
"Papa, Papa... unas palabras en Español..." I asked as he passed by me... I was behind the barrier, the Pope right up front. He turned his head, looked at me... and walked back.... "Aah.... Español..." he replied with a smile in a soft european accent.
As he continued to walk towards me... it was like a slow motion, I swear I could only hear the wind go by... yet at the same time the reporter in me scrambled to seize the moment, to grab my microphone... and pull my photographer to the front.
"Aah... Español..." I think he said again... "De donde eres..." Where are you from, he asked me. Soy de Ecuador... I'm from Ecuador, Santo Padre, I think I said... Quito Ecuador... "Ah.... Ecuador... America... Central...." replied your Holiness...
I just listened and looked... and listened and looked some more... all I could think of was..."La bendición Papa... la bendicion... para todos" Your blessing Pope, your blessing to everyone... He looked at me again... looked at our camera... I think I took his hand... and there... on a Colorado mountain road... Pope John Paul II lifted his right hand and... "En el nombre del Padre, del hijo y del Espiritu Santo... Dios te bendiga" he made the sign of the cross to the camera and then touched my forehead and did the same.
Gracias, thank you John Paul II, you've touched our lives, my life. We love you. I love you.
On a small mountain road: When your Holiness replied... "Ecuador.. América Central..." Perhaps he meant to say... Latin America... or South America... I wouldn't dare... point that out at that unforgettable moment. Our encounter never would have happend if I just left... in search of the protestors... the story, unfolding in Denver that I couldn't cover. Little did I know. Since then I always remember our encounter, particularly every month of May. See, I would later learn that John Paul II was born May 18. Every year on his birthday, one day before my own, I always remember our two minutes, our talk on the side of a Colorado Rocky Mountain road. Saturday April 2, 2005 at 9.37 Rome’s time Karol Wojtyla, 84 years old and after 26 as Pope returned home.
